Vol.  IV. 


NOV.   and  DEC,  1866. 


No.  3. 


THE 


THEOLOGICAL  ECLECTIC, 


^  §Upcrt0rg, 


CHIEFLY  OP  POBEION  THEOLOGICAL  LITEBATTJBE. 


BI-MONTHLY. 


EDITOR, 

GEORGE    E.   DAY,  D.D., 

Professor  in  Tale  Theological  Seminar/. 


Philip  Schaff,  D.D., 


(Recently  Prof,  in  Theol.  Seminary  of  Oer.  Reformed 
Church,)  New  York. 

H.  B.  Hackett,  D.D., 

Prof,  in  Xewton  (Baptist)  Theol.  Institution,  Mass. 

Rev.  John  McClintock,  LL.D. 

of  "Th»  Mbthodist,"  Sew  fork. 


ASSOCIATE  EDITORS, 

Wm.  Henry  Green,  D.D., 

Prof,  in  Theol.  Sem.  of  Pres.  Ch.,  Princeton,  ».  J. 

C.  M.  Butler,  D.D., 


Prof.  In  the  Divinity  School  of  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church,  Philadelphia. 


L.  J.  Evans,  M.A., 

Prof,  in  Lane  Theol.  Sem.,  Cincinnati. 


NEW    YORK: 

MOORE,  WILSTACH   &   BALDWIN,  PUBLISHERS, 

60    WALKER    STREET,  NEAR  BROADWAY, 

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003STTE3STTS. 


XII.    The  Nieene  Doctrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 

By  Philip  Schaff,  D.  D.,  New  York. 

XHI.    Church  Music  and  Song. 

By  Dr.  K.  R.  Hagenbach,  Professor  in  Basle. —  Translated  by  Prof. 
J.  M.  IIoppint  Yale  Theological  Seminary. 

XIV.  The  Mosaic  Dispensation  as  Introductory  to  Christianity. 

Abridged  from  the  British  Quarterly  Review. 

XV.  The  Ultramontane  Reaction  in  Prance  in  the  Nineteenth 

Century 

Translated  by  Key.  C.  M.  Butler,  D.  D. 

XVI.  The  Sensational  Philosophy.— Mr.  J.  S.  Mill  and  Dr.McCosh. 

From  the  British  and  Foreign  Evangelical  Review. 


Literary  and  Theological  Intelligence. 


VNOV    2   1932 


:i«S? 


/ 


XIII -CHURCH  MUSIC  AND  SONG.* 


The  means  by  which  the  congregation  gives  united  expression 
to  its  spirit  of  pure  devotion,  are  Song  and  Prayer.  The  passage 
in  James  v:  13,  would,  however,  signify  that  the  two  differed 
in  their  method  of  application  ;  that  Song  signified  the  expression 
of  the  joyful,  and  Prayer  of  the  sorrowful  spirit.  And  this  is 
deeply  founded  in  psychological  truth.  Joy  is  the  mother  of  song, 
and  need  is  the  feeling  which  teaches  one  to  pray.  But  still 
there  are  songs  of  affliction,  (lamentations),  songs  of  penitence 
and  mourning  ;  and  there  are,  on  the  other  hand,  joyful  prayers, 
(praise  and  thanksgiving).  This  proves  that  the  distinction  is 
not  an  absolute  one. 

We  cannot  really  disjoin  song  and  prayer,  since  song  commonly 
assumes  the  form  of  petition,  and  in  the  ancient  Church  the  two 
were  more  commingled  than  now.  It  is  hard  to  determine  how 
the  two  stood  related  to  each  other  in  the  apostolic  times.  1  Cor. 
ii:  4,  exhibits  prayer  in  connection  with  prophecy.  On  the 
other  hand,  Col.  iii :  16,  mentions  song  with  exhortation,  without 
speeiric  mention  of  prayer.  It  is  also  to  be  remembered  that 
"  the  Lord's  prayer,"  which  was  given  to  the  disciples  as  a 
model,  does  not  make  its  appearance  in  the  worshiping  assem- 
blies of  the  first  Christians.  It  belonged  to  the  disciplina  arcanl. 
Whether  the  "  carmen  dicere  "  of  Pliny's  letter  to  Trajan  is  to  be 
regarded  as  the  singing  of  a  hymn,  or  as  the  recitation  of  a  for- 
mula of  prayer,  is  an  open  question.  The  ancient  song  was,  for 
the  most  part,  in  the  form  of  a  recitation. 

It  is  a  commonly  established  liturgical  principle,  that  the  s  ng 
is  to  be  sung  either  by  the  whole  congregation,  or  by  the  choir, 
but  not  by  single  individuals.  The  chanting  of  the  priest  at  the 
altar,  which  is  found  in  the  Romish,  and  also  partly  in  the  Luthe- 
ran Church,  can  only  be  considered  theoretically  as  a  form  of  reci- 
tation, and  wo\dd  not  be  practically  permissible  in  the  Reformed 

*  Translated   from  Hagsnbach,  GrundHnien  dtr  Lilurgik  und  Homiletik,  by  Prof. 
J.  M.  IIoppin,  Yale  Theological  Seminary. 
(231) 


232 


Church  Music  and  Song. 


Church.  Solo  parts,  performed  by  single  male  or  female  singers, 
trench  upon  the  rightful  boundaries  of  religious  culture.  They 
belong  to  the  sacred  concert,  to  the  oratorio,  where  they  certainly 
can  Bubserve  some  devotional  purpose;  yet  in  these  the  devotional 
element  is  but  the  secondary  consideration,  and  the  artistic  the 
primary;  in  religious  worship  this  is  reversed. 

The  fundamental  basis  of  Protestant  ecclesiastical  son-;,  is  the 
choral.*  The  choral  (ccmtus plenvs,  plei/n  chant)  was  introduced 
as  is  well  known,  at  the  time  of  Gregory  I.,  in  the  place  of  the 
alternating  Ambrosian  chant.  While  the  Roman  Catholic  and 
Greek  Churches  are  deprived  of  this  mighty  instrument  of  devo- 
tion, the  Protestant  Church  rightly  considers  the  choral  as  its 
liturgical  palladium.  Zelter,  in  a  letter  to  Goethe,  regards  the 
German  choral  singing  re-introduced  by  the  Reformation,  as  an 
original  form  of  worship,  making  the  great  distinction  between 
Protestant  and  Catholic  worship,  by  giving,  as  it  did,  opportunity 
to  the  whole  congregation,  in  the  true  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  to 
offer  praise  to  God  in  song. 

Bes'des  this  uniform  element  of  the  Choral,  special  choirs,  with 
their  more  artistic  harmonies,  compose  that  variable  element 
which,  particularly  upon  festival  days,  conduces  to  the  elevation 
of  religious  worship.  But  even  in  ordinary  public  worship,  to 
as^'st  in  the  singing  of  the  choral  by  the  whole  congregation,  a 
stated  choir,  alternating  with  congregational  singing,  will  be 
found  to  aid  materially  in  the  ennobling  and  animating  of  Church 
song.  It  would  be  well,  in  a  perfected  system  of  cultus,  for  the 
choir,  at  the  opening  of  every  religious  service,  to  receive  the 
congregation  with  a  greeting  of  song.  If  this  is  not  always  prac- 
ticable, it  should  at  least  be  done  on  occasions  of  formal  public 
worship.  The  selection  of  pieces  to  be  sung  by  the  choir,  of  tunes, 
etc.,  should  not  be  left  exclusively  to  the  choir  leader,  but  should 
be  in  harmony  with  the  superintending  will  that  presides  over 
the  whole  cultus, — that  is,  of  the  minister  himself.  A  judicious 
pruning,  and  ke  ping  down  of  all  "  brilliancies,"  is  needful 
throughout,  when  by  such  displays,  the  devotional  spirit  would 
be  more  injured  than  aided.  Care  should  be  taken  to  prevent 
the  performance  of  fugue-pieces,  when  often  much  that  is  disjointed 
(unfug)  is    perpetrated  ;  of  those  artistic  counter-point  musical 

*  A  simple  sacred  tune,  sung  in  unison  by  the  congregation;  in  a  word,  congre- 
gational singing.     Tr. 


Church  Music  and  Song.  233 

combinations,  in  which  the  congregation  perceive  only  a  senseless 
confusion  of  tones  with  which  they  become  wearied ;  of  those 
"  song-serpents  "  which  twist  themselves  out  into  endless  convolu- 
tions. The  worst  is,  when  the  personal  character  of  such  a  choir 
stands  in  no  organic  relation  to  the  congregation,  and  the  singing 
is  only  a  part  performed  from  time  to  time  by  strangers,  (especially 
unsuitable  is  that  element  which  is  drawn  from  the  opera). 
Therefore  the  effort  of  a  Church  to  gather  to  itself  its  own  Church 
choir,  is  to  be  greatly  commended.  The  real  position  of  the 
Church  choir  is  to  be  the  leader  of  congregational  singing.  It 
should  stimulate  the  congregation,  by  setting  before  it  a  good 
pattern.  At  the  same  time  it  serves  to  lend  animation  and 
variety  to  the  singing,  where  choir  and  congregation  sing  alter- 
nately, {alternis  choris).  This  compensates,  in  some  measure,  for 
the  aversion  of  the  Reformed  Churches  to  antiphonal  or  responsive 
singing. 

In  Church-song,  the  text  of  the  song  that  is  sung,  is  to  be  con- 
sidered as  well  as  the  melody.  The  two  are  mutually  conditioned 
upon  one  another.  It  is  not  meant  by  this  that  every  song  should 
have  its  own  melody  or  tune.  It  were  far  better  if  a  number  of 
hymns  could  be  sung  to  one  and  the  same  tune.  It  is  only  by 
having  a  limited  number  of  tunes,  which  are,  however,  the  most 
suitable  tunes,  that  some  certainty  in  the  singing  can  be  secured. 
But  it  ought  to  be  laid  down  as  a  principle,  that  only  songs  of 
one  and  the  same  character  can  be  used  with  the  same  tune,  and 
that  the  mere  accidental  similarity  of  metre  should  not  be  the 
only  deciding  test.  One  should  not  sing  a  hymn  relating  to  the 
resurrection  and  ascension  of  the  Lord,  to  a  mournful,  penitential 
melody, — nor  a  penitential  hymn  to  a  joyful  tune  commemorating 
the  birth  of  Christ.  It  is  too  frequently  the  case  that  the  text  of 
some  of  our  most  beautiful  hymns  is  set  to  secidar  melodies. 
In  oi'der,  however,  to  secure  that  permanency  in  the  cultus  of 
which  we  have  before  spoken,  the  text,  as  well  as  the  tune,  should 
be  familiar  to  the  congregation ;  it  should  be  an  actual  possession. 
The  Church  has  this  song-treasure  in  its  hymn  book,  which  for 
this  reason  shoiild  not  be  too  full,  neither  too  meagre.  The 
hymn  book,  besides  its  liturgical  use,  should  often  truly  serve 
as  a  school  book,  and  as  a  book  of  family  devotion,  and  it  is 
from  this  circumstance,  and  in  particular  reference  to  this,  that 
many  comprehensive  hymns,  more  fitted  for  committing  to  mem- 


234  Church  2Lu\ic  and  Song. 

ory  at  school,  or  for  devotional  reading,  than  for  singing,  havo 
been  placed  in  our  hymn  books,  thus  increasing  their  bulk.  For 
a  long  time  it  was  thought  necessary  that  a  special  hymn  should 
be  chosen  for  every  conceivable  topic  in  the  province  of  doctrine 
and  duty.  In  this  way  hymns  upon  the  attributes  of  God,  and 
upon  particular  duties,  (such  as  industry  and  frugality),  have 
originated.  Whenever  a  want  has  occurred  in  the  rubrics,  a 
hymn  must  be  made  expressly  to  meet  this  want,  which  naturally 
turns  out  to  be  prosaic  enough.  Thus  in  a  Basle  hymn  book  of, 
1809,  we  find  the  hymn, — 

"  To  tend  this  body,  and  to  nurse  it, 
This  is,  0  Maker,  my  behoof; "' 

And  so  in  a  Zurich  hymn  book : 

"  Not  gloomy  and  severe  is  he, 

A  Christian  who  delights  to  be, 
Without  servility  is  kind, 

Both  earnest  and  of  friendly  mind ;  "  etc. 

But  setting  aside  such  misconceptions,  one  would  feel  tempted 
by  the  exceeding  richness  of  our  Church  collections,  (there  are 
said  to  be  about  11,000  hymns),  to  place  in  the  hands  of  the  con- 
gregation a  large  store  of  truly  good  hymns.  But  when  one  looks 
more  closely  at  this  hymnological  wealth,  he  would  be  able  to 
select  but  a  small  number  proportionally  of  such  hymns,  that 
could  be  recommended  for  all  circumstances  as  Church  and  c<  >n- 
gregational  hymns,  as  spiritual  songs  for  the  people.  Those  that 
truly  are  such,  however,  need  no  recommendation ;  they  have 
made  their  own  way,  and  though  there  has  not  been  up  to  the 
present  time,  a  successful  agreement  made  upon  a  common  hymn 
book,  neither  for  Germany,  nor  even  for  reformed  Switzerland, 
yet  the  individual  Churches  have  silently  united  upon  a  number 
of  truly  classic  hymns,  which  will  be  found  in  all  good  hymn 
books,  however  diverse  these  compilations  may  be.  Here  is  indeed 
an  absolute  uniformity  not  arbitrarily  created,  or  at  least  one  not 
controlled  by  outward  influences.  This  unpremeditated  agree- 
ment of  good  minds  in  a  good  thing,  is  all  the  more  delightful, 
— a  quasi  inspiration  in  the  true  evangelical  sense. 

Among  the  hymns  in  the  hymn  book,  some  will  present  them- 
selves as  forming  a  class  of  permanent,  and  others  as  forming  a 


Church  Music  and  Song.  235 

class  of  variable  hymns.  Among  the  first  class  we  reckon  the 
hymns  used  for  public  worship  on  Sundays,  for  festivals  and 
communion  seasons,  which,  after  longer  or  shorter  periods,  always 
come  round  as  the  old  familiar  hymns,  and  those  which  were 
committed  to  memory  in  youth  ;  among  the  variable,  or  changing 
hymns,  are  those  more  thoughtful  ones  adapted  to  sermons, 
among  which  some  may  be  more  firmly  established  in  the  use  of 
a  congregation  than  others,  but  after  all  their  recurrence  is  not  a 
regular  thing,  but  is  determined  more  by  the  theme  of  the  sermon. 
"While  such  a  Sunday  hymn  as  "  Dearest  Jesus,  we  are  here," 
could  be  repeated  twenty  or  thirty  times  a  year  without  difficulty, 
indeed,  as  often  as  the  season  for  celebrating  the  Lord's  resurrec- 
tion conies  round,  it  must  be  sung  in  order  to  maintain  the  spirit 
of  the  day,  it  might  happen  that  a  hymn  specially  adapted  to  a 
sermon  might  come  in  use  only  once  in  two  years.  But  those 
hymns  which,  year  in  and  year  out,  are  not  sung,  should  be  omit- 
ted from  a  new  collection.  The  hymns  of  a  permanent  character 
should  so  live  in  the  heart  and  mouth  of  the  congregation,  that  no 
book  is  needed  for  them.  Singing  from  a  book  has  something 
disturbing  in  it,  and  to  a  looker  on,  something  really  offensive. 
This  cannot  be  avoided  in  the  case  of  the  variable  hymns,  because 
it  can  hardly  be  expected  that  the  whole  hymn  book  will  be  com- 
mitted to  memory ;  yet,  in  the  singing  of  standard  hymns  which 
live  in  the  memory,  and  which  are  reduced  to  but  few  in  number, 
the  book,  as  is  customary  among  "  the  United  Brethren,"  should 
remain  shut.  Among  this  class  we  count  the  hymn  before  com 
munion,  "  O,  thou  Lamb  of  God,"  and  the  closing  hymn,  "  The 
Grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  To  sing  other  hymns  than 
those  contained  in  the  hymn  book,  can  only  be  allowed  upon 
extraordinary  occasions,  as  upon  a  jubilee,  or  a  national  festival. 
But  the  hymn,  whatever  it  be,  if  it  be  sung  by  the  congrega- 
tion, should  be  set  to  a  familiar  Church  tune.  The  custom  of 
the  free  Churches  who  from  time  to  time  introduce  new  produc- 
tions of  living  composers,  is  indeed  otherwise.  But  this  agrees 
with  their  out-spoken  spirit  of  individualism.  Extraordinary 
hymns  of  this  character  may  also  be  sung  in  periods  of  transition, 
and  perhaps  be  made  entirely  new  to  meet  occasions  or  senti 
ments.  for  which  the  customary  hymn  book  is  no  longer  compe- 
tent to  supply  fitting  expre-sion.  Thus  Schleiermacher,  before 
the  new  Berlin  hymn-book  was  ready,  distributed  single  leaves 
at  the  Church  door. 


236  Church  Music  and  Song. 

The  text  of  the  Church  hymn  can  either  he  one  proclaiming 
the  Gospel  salvation  (objective), or  may  be  the  expression  of  an 
inward  desire  fur  it,  the  feeling  which  appropriates  that  salva- 
tion (subjective).  The  history  of  Church  music  shows  us  that 
the  songs  of  the  first  class  have  yielded  to  those  of  tbe  second. 
Most  of  the  hymns  of  the  Reformation  period,  have  the  character 
of  proclaiming,  or  publishing  tbe  Gospel  — ("  It  is  salvation  come 
to  us." — "  Our  God  is  a  firm  foundation  ")  ;  while  witli  Paul  Ger- 
hard, Schmolck,  and  others,  hymns  of  a  yearning  character,  of  a 
character  receptive  of  the  Gospel,  are  introduced, — ("How  shall 
I' receive  thee?"  "0  wounded,  bleeding  bead.")  The  hymns 
of  Cramer,  Lavater,'  Gellert,  are  full  of  the  reflective  character, 
or  of  individuality,  as  those  of  Novalis.  Schleiermaeher  did 
the  good  Gellert  injustice,  when  he  conveyed  the  impression 
that  he  was  too  "  sickly  "  to  be  a  good  poet.  We  may  appeal 
here  to  experience.  Compare  my  treatise  upon  "  Gellert  as  a 
religious  poet,"  and  the  beautiful  essay  upon  Gellert,  by  Nitzsch. 
In  both  of  these  styles  the  hymn  mast  flow  from  its  inner  agree- 
ment with  the  Word  of  God,  without  being  bound  to  follow  lite- 
rally the  words  of  the  Bible.  Hymns  which  stand  in  no  inner 
relation  to  the  Bible,  which  do  not  spring  from  it,  which  are 
not  pervaded,  or  at  least  touched  by  its  breath,  do  not  belong  to 
a  Christian  hymn  book.  But  by  this,  it  is  not  said,  as  I  have 
hinted,  that  Bible  words  only  should  be  sung.  It  was  a  miscon- 
ception, when  Luther  himself  thought  that  the  ten  commandments 
and  the  apostles'  creed  should  be  made  into  song,  although 
he  had  his  precedents  for  this  in  tbe  ancient  Church,  which 
placed  the  epic  before  the  lyric.  We  have  always  declared 
ourselves  opposed  to  putting  the  Psalms  into  rhyme.  On  the 
contrary,  the  Psalms  themselves,  which  for  a  long  period  have 
reigned  alone  in  the  worship  of  tbe  Reformed  Church,  form  in 
truth,  the  type  and  standard  of  Church  song.  Sundry  other 
poetical  portions  of  the  Bible,  besides  the  Psalms,  have  also 
assumed  a  typical  character,  as  the  Song  of  Moses,  (Exod.  xv) ; 
Hannah's  Song  of  Praise,  (1  Sam.,  2,  1  sqq. )  ;  the  "  Trisagion  " 
of  Isaiah,  (chap,  vi) ;  the  "  Song  of  Praise  of  the  Three  in  the 
fiery  furnace ; "  from  the  new  Testament,  the  Thanksgiving 
Song  of  Mary;  (the  so-called  "Magnificat,"  Luke  i,  46  seq.); 
and  the  Apocalyptic  Doxologies,  (Rev.  iv,  1 ;  v,  12,  13;  vii,  10-12 ; 
xix,  1  sqq.). 


Church  Music  and  Song.  237 

But  every  poem  of  a  Christian  character  is  not,  for  that  reason, 
a  Church  hymn.  The  apostolic  Church  recognized  psalms, 
hymns,  and  spiritual  songs,  (Eph.  v,  19  ;  Col.  iii,  16).  How  these 
were  related  to  one  another,  it  is  hard  to  determine,  yet  by 
Psalms,  we  are  obliged  to  understand  either  the  Old  Testament 
Psalms,  or  Christian  Psalms  modeled  after  them ;  by  Hymns, 
songs  of  praise  ;  by  Spiritual  Songs,  hymns  of  a  more  general  cha- 
racter. Olshausen  sees  no  distinction  in  these,  but  considers  them 
as  being  only  different  terms  for  one  and  the  same  thing.  But 
how  these  should  be  sung, — how  they  are  related  to  the  cultus, — 
and  how  they  harmonize  with  the  other  elements,  we  know  but 
little.  Still  we  have  many  hymns  belonging  to  Christian  anti- 
quity ;  but  these  could  not  be  easily  sung  by  the  general  congre- 
gation. If  we  critically  regard  the  newer  religious  poetry,  it 
cannot  be  denied  that  it  affords  us  in  manifold  forms,  with  much 
dull  rhyming,  much  that  is  good  and  excellent ;  still,  not  all  that 
is  excellent  poetry  is  suitable  to  be  sung.  The  pathetic,  as  in 
Klopstock, — (though  we  here  refer  to  his  odes,  for  his  commun- 
ion hymn,  "Lord,  thou  would'st  make  us  truly  ready,"  and  the 
well-known  "To  rise  again,  yea  rise  again,"  should  certainly 
have  place  in  our  hymn  books)  ;  the  prosaic  and  sentimental- 
reflective,  as  in  Gellert  and  Spitta,  (of  the  last,  we  would  commend 
the  beautiful  "  Abide  with  him  who  for  your  sake,"  and  also 
others,  though  the  charming  poem  "  There  goes  a  silent  angel," 
perhaps  the  pearl  of  the  collection,  could  hardly  belong  to  a  con- 
gregational hymn-book), — poetry  of  this  character,  and  also  much 
that  might  be  sung  by  a  select  and  limited  circle  to  the  piano, 
would  not  therefore  be  suitable  for  the  Church. 

Many  songs,  for  example,  of  the  United  Brethren,  have  a  too  in- 
timate and  familiar  tone  to  be  sung  by  the  whole  Church  together. 
This  is  the  case  with  that  much-loved  song,  "  We  find  ourselves 
all  here  together."  The  hymns  of  Novalis  also  express  too 
much  individuality  of  mind  in  contra-distinction  from  the  mass. 
"  When  all  shall  be  untrue,  I  will  be  true  to  thee ;"  or,  "  Let 
others  still  pursue  the  broad  and  lighted  way."  A  great  assem- 
bly of  worshipers  could  hardly  sing  such  a  hymn.  Let  it  be 
understood  that  the  "  I "  does  not  shut  a  hymn  out.  The  "  I " 
has  a  collective  character,  as  the  "  Thou "  ("  order  thou  the 
paths.")  But  when  the  "I"  of  the  individual  contrasts  itself 
with  the  mass,  then  it  is  a  special  "  I,"  separate  from  others,  and 
thus  does  not  unite  itself  with  the  song  of  the  congregation. 


. 


238  Church  Music  and  Song. 

In  order  to  be  adapted  to  the  use  of  the  Church,  a  hymn  must 
not  only  be  fitted  for  general  singing,  but  for  congregational  sinir- 
ing  in  public  worship.  It  must  unite  the  truly  poetical  lyric  flow 
with  the  easily  comprehended  popular  expression  that  presents 
itself  as  a  free  production  of  the  devotional  feeling,  and  as  such 
finds  its  own  way  to  the  mouth  and  heart  of  the  congregation. 
The  composing  of  good  church  hymns  is  a  special  "charisma," 
They  cannot  be  made  to  order,  as  perhaps  a  sermon  can.  The 
best  church  hymns  have  not  been  written  for  the  purpose  of 
being  used  as  church  hymns,  but  they  have  come  into  use  (as  the 
volk-songs  have,)  without  willing  it.  Many  have  thought  that 
the  best  tunes  have  had  the  same  origin.  It  has  been  often 
affirmed  that  a  hymn  is  not  fit  for  a  church  hymn,  because  it  is 
subjective  in  its  character.  We  would  rather  affirm  the  contrary. 
There  is  indeed  a  subjectivity  which  is  in  harmony  with  the  spirit 
of  a  fallen  Church,  or  one  that  has  not  yet  become  right  in  its 
own  subjectivity ;  but  this  will  produce  no  true  church  hymns, 
(Goethe,  Ballet).  The  same  is  true,  also,  of  a  Christian  subjectivity 
which,  in  its  manifestations  and  modes  of  expression,  does  not 
take  root  in  the  people,  but  leans  towards  some  particular  school 
e.  g.  the  romantic.  But  when,  on  the  other  hand,  the  personal 
peculiarities  of  the  poet  have  their  natural  roots  in  the  life  of  the 
Church,  and  that  the  Church  of  the  people,  and  are  not  first 
studiously  wrought  into  a  popular  tone,  then  the  hymn  which 
has  gone  through  one's  own  heart,  which  bears  the  stamp  of 
a  subjective  experience,  really  attains  of  itself  the  highest  de- 
gree of  objectivity.  This  is  the  case  with  Job  and  the  Psalms, 
and  thus  the  most  genuine  Church  hymns  have  their  own  history, 
and  their  myths  as  well.  Least  vital  of  all  are  the  purely  objec- 
tive hymns,  that  is,  such  as  could  only  have  been  made  to  order 
for  some  external  occasion,  or  those  which  fit  some  dogmatic  or 
moral  need, — in  a  word,  doctrinal  hymns. 

From  Avhat  has  been  said,  it  is  manifest  that  the  periods  of  the 
Church  in  which  the  pure  consciousness  of  the  members  shows 
itself  in  an  energetic,  and  therefore  spiritually  productive  princi- 
ple, are  also  the  most  fruitful  for  church  song.  It  is  therefore 
entirely  right  that  the  Protestant  Church  should  prefer  to  build 
itself  upon  those  old  original  hymn?  in  which  that  eonsei  nsness 
was  vigorously  expressed.  This  preference  for  the  old,  ho  we.'  :r, 
should  not  degenerate  into  a  liturgical  narrowness  which  closes 
the  ear  in  advance  to  any  hymn  of  the  more  recent,  time.    This  is 


Church  Music  and  Song.  239 

the  affectation  of  antiquity.  To  forbid  modern  hymns  altogether, 
would  signify  that  the  Church  of  the  present  shows  signs  of  pov- 
erty. This  point,  thank  God,  is  not  yet  reached.  So  long  as  our 
ear  is  accustomed  to  the  ancient  tone,  there  is  little  fear  that  it 
will  despise  the  new.  Many  suppose  that  that  only  which  has 
an  antique  sound  should  he  adopted  by  the  Church.  With  this 
aversion  to  what  is  new  in  song,  a  dissatisfaction  in  regard  to  the 
modern  tendency  of  theology  may  entirely  coincide.  Which  of 
these  tendencies,  to  the  old  or  the  new,  is  the  most  just,  we  do 
not  pretend  here  to  decide.  But  at  all  events,  it  would  be  asking 
too  much,  if  we  should  be  called  upon  to  hold  the  old  dogmatic 
terminology  of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries,  as  the 
only  indisputably  authoritative  one,  because  it  is  contained  in  the 
old  hymns  of  the  Church.  On  the  other  hand,  the  different  ten- 
dencies of  these  days,  which  are  not  to  be  forcibly  set  aside, 
should  be  appreciated  and  harmonized,  if  we  would  not  wish  to 
draw  the  limits  of  Church  orthodoxy  too  narrowly  in  the  hymn 
book  ;  only  there  should  be  no  motley  mixture  through  which  an 
inner  contradiction  runs,  which  serves  but  to  bewilder  a  congre- 
gation. It  would  contribute  much  more  to  the  upbuilding  of  the 
Church,  if  the  Church  would,  where  it  is  possible,  strive  to  listen 
through  all  the  centuries  of  Christianity,  to  the  voices  that  unite 
for  the  glory  of  one  Lord  over  all.  We  do  not  say  too  much  when 
we  say,  "where  it  is  possible."  Many  of  our  Church  hymns, 
such  as  the  Ambrosian  chant,  (Te  Deum  Laudamus),  the  "  Come 
Holy  Spirit,"  (  Veni  Creator  Spvrifat-s),  the  "  O  Sacred  Head,  so 
wounded,"  {Salve  caput  eruentatum),  the  "In  the  midst  of  life 
we  are"  &c,  {Media  invito),  spring  from  the  Middle  ages,  or 
reach  yet  further  back  into  the  first  centuries.  That  they  have 
been  changed  in  form,  and  thus  brought  nearer  to  us,  is  no  dis- 
paragement to  them.  The  old  tones  are  heard  through  them 
still. 

The  true  harmony  between  the  historic  past  and  present  finds 
its  application  in  the  ancient  church  hymns,  as  far  as  they  may 
be  employed  in  the  cultus  of  the  present.  Undoubtedly  the 
blessing  which  we  anticipate  from  the  use  of  the^e  hymns  would 
be  lost,  if  we  rob  them  of  their  antique  character,  and  wish  to 
make  them  in  all  respects  the  fit  expressions  of  our  own  time. 
But  we  have  also  to  guard  ourselves,  lest  a  pious  deference  for  the 
old  degenerate  into  a  contemptuous  disregard  of  the  humanity  of 


240  Church  Music  and  Song. 

to-day,  from  which  we  may  hardly  demand  the  preservation  of  an 
ahsolutely  unchanged  text,  such  as  the  antiquarian  may  rightly 
claim.  This  is  illustrated  in  part  by  those  dogmatical  rough- 
nesses which  either  transcend  the  word  of  Scripture,  or,  which 
is  the  same  thing,  bring  in  Scripture  improperly,  coarsely  paint- 
ing representations  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  must  be  quench- 
ed by  Christ's  blood  ;  of  the  devil,  who  goes  about  as  a  "  spectre 
of  the  night ;"  of  the  torments  of  those  who  "  with  the  damned 
throng  must  fire  and  brimstone  feed  upon;"  and  other  crudi- 
ties of  the  same  kind,  which  at  all  times  would  be  a  welcome 
prize  to  the  enemies  of  religion.  Apollinarian  extravagances  also, 
such  as  "  O  mighty  want,  God's  self  is  dead,"  are  to  be  avoided 
from  the  stand -point  of  a  sound  orthodoxy.  In  this  category, 
likewise,  come  false  ethical  representations  of  this  world  being 
"  a  vale  of  tears,"  out  of  which  one  could  not  be  soon  enough 
taken, — while  very  few  who  sing  the  hymn,  would  be  willing  to 
be  taken  at  their  word.  One  might  reply  that  the  Church  is  not 
to  accommodate  itself  to  the  frivolity  of  the  world,  and  the 
effeminacy  of  the  age,  but  on  the  contrary,  to  contend  with  them, 
— to  address  sin-reproving  hymns  to  the  conscience  of  the  chil- 
dren of  this  world,  and  if  he  who  sings,  feels  smitten  through  the 
opposition  of  his  worldly  heart  to  the  contents  of  these  Scriptural 
hymns,  the  blame  of  this  painful  feeling  lies  iq>on  himself,  and 
not  upon  the  hymn  ;  and  this  should  be  a  warning  and  awaken- 
ing voice  to  him  that  the  flesh  should  no  longer  strive  against  the 
spirit.  We  fully  agree  to  this,  but  only  in  so  far  as  the  spirit, 
which  is  thus  condemned,  is  a  frivolous  and  blamable  one,  which 
cannot  stand  before  the  earnestness  of  Christianity.  To  many  a 
one,  the  hymn  which  he  has  sung  with  others,  may,  in  this  view, 
be  a  spur  to  his  conscience.  But  how  do  the  two  things  agree, 
where  perchance  it  should  be  said  in  the  sermon,  that  the  world 
is  no  vale  of  tears,  that  is,  only  by  reason  of  sin  ;  that  worldly 
enjoyments  are  not  condemned  in  themselves,- — it  is  only  through 
the  sinful  disposition  with  which  they  are  enjoyed, — and  yet  the 
hymn  still  stands  in  direct  opposition  to  this  ?  It  is  only  these 
exaggerated  statements  which  we  wish  to  do  away,  fur  these  always 
work  evil ;  they  lead  either  to  stupid  indifference,  or  fanaticism. 
These  antique  roughnesses  are  seen  also  in  crudities  of  language, 
which  can  be  better  borne  than  dogmatical  crudities.  They  must 
happen  sometimes  when  the  hymns  cannot  be  changed  without 


Church  Music  and  Song.  211 

injury.  This  occurs  especially  in  the  quantity  of  the  syllables  and 
the  rhyme.  In  the  hymn,  "  Wie  schon  leuchtet  cler  Morgenstern,'•, 
we  must  let  even  "  leuchtet "  go  as  an  iambus.  In  like  manner 
we  leave  untouched  the  rhyme  "  waffen  "  and  "  betroff'en,"  (in  the 
liymn  "  Ein  teste  Burg"),  or  "  Stimme  "  and  "  Zinne,"  (in  "  Wach- 
et  auf"),  or  "  Sieh  hier  bin  ich  Ehrenkonig,"  or"Kost"  and 
"  Lust,1'  if  we  would  not  make  too  deep  and  vitally  perilous  inva- 
sion upon  the  structure  of  the  hymn.  But  the  congregation 
easily  get  wonted  to  such  anomalies,  and  are  glad  to  have  them 
occur,  to  have  consciously  before  them  an  old  hymn  which  in  this 
way  proclaims  its  honorable  antiquity.  .  In  this  matter  the  school 
must  prepare  the  way.  There  are  pedantic  school  masters  enongh 
who,  from  their  narow  stand-point,  set  youth  in  opposition  to 
these  incorrect  expressions  of  the  hymn  book.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  hymns  "  Vcdet  will  ich  der  geben,"  "  Gloria  wird  dir 
gesungen,"  would  lose  nothing  by  changing  the  Latin  scraps  into 
German  words,  although  the  alteration  of  the  initial  word  is  gen- 
erally injurious,  and  causes  confusion  to  one  searching  for  the 
hymn.  Finally,  the  naive  also  comes  under  the  same  category, 
inasmuch  as  some  hymns  may  bear  very  well  to  be  spoken  pri- 
vately, but  would  not  do  for  public  singing.  A  congregation  of 
the  present  day  could  not  in  truth  sing  without  some  sense  of  the 
ludicrous : 

"  Ein  Kindlein  so  lobelich 
1st  una  geboren  Leute, 
Von  eine  Jungfrau  sauberlich 
Zum  Trost  uns  arraen  Leuten." 


and,  in  like  manner, — 


;  Das  Oechslein  und  das  Eselein, 
Die  loben  Gott  den  Herren  sein." 


'  Dess  klopf '  ich  in  die  Hiinde." 


To  offer  this  to  a  congregation  to  sing,  is  the  same  as  if  one 
should  set  up  an  old  German  painting,  with  all  its  simplicities,  as 
an  altar-piece.  As  far  as  concerns  the  teaching  of  the  history  of 
art, — and  even  for  the  connoisseur  himself,  it  may  be  exceedingly 
profitable  and  delightful,  but  it  is  not  so  for  the  middle  stratum 
of  our  citizen-classes,  who  are  too  well  educated  to  receive  uncon- 


242  Church  Music  and  Song. 

cernedly  anything  that  is  ottered,  and  too  little  educated  to  recon- 
cile the  historical  and  psychological  features  of  the  case.  Finally, 
we  confess  that  taste  changes,  and  that  which  is  endured  in  one 
age,  is  insupportable  in  another,  and  vice  versa. 

There  are  also  hymns  which  were  made  in  direct  reference  to 
the  weakness  of  some  believers,  and  which  should  be  treated 
with  the  greatest  possible  tenderness  and  indulgence.  One  may 
say  indeed  that  the  Church  should  draw  the  people  to  the  inner 
and  outer  understanding  of  its  cultns  treasures,  and  not  let  itself 
down  to  these  weak  ones ;  but  this  can  be  done  only  to  a  certain 
extent.  If  Paul  could  choose  rather  to  eat  no  meat  than  that  the 
weakest  brother  should  be  offended,  (1  Cor.  viii,  13),  so  we  also 
might  rest  satisfied  with  a  meagre  diet  in  liturgical  matters, 
rather  than  tickle  our  palates  with  aesthetical  words,  which  to 
another  man  destroy  all  enjoyment  in  the  worship.  We  should 
not  offer  condiments  but  bread  to  the  people.  Alterations  of 
hymns  should  be  made  in  the  spirit  and  sense  of  the  evangelical 
church  which  is  to  be  edified  through  these  hymns.  If  one  looks 
carefully  through  the  history  of  hymn-books,  he  strikes  upon 
many  most  unwarranted  alterations.  The  present  period  is  not 
the  first  that  has  sinned  in  this  matter.  Luther  complained  that 
his  hymns  were  mutilated,  and  the  old  orthodox  in  their  flatten- 
ing style  of  interpretation,  have  here  set  the  example  to  the  ration- 
alists and  neologists.  A  chief  hand  at  altering  was  the  churchly 
orthodox  Ivlopstock.  In  the  various  changes  which  have  already 
taken  place,  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  discover  the  original 
reading.  But  before  one  proceeds  to  change  a  hymn,  it  is  at  least 
necessary  to  assure  oneself  of  the  true  original  reading,  not  to 
hold  to  it  inexorably,  but  to  make  it  a  basis  to  proceed  upon. 
Schleiermachcr  has  well  shown  in  his  letter  to  Kitschl,  that  the 
question  has  not  regard  to  the  rights  of  an  author,  but  to  the 
Church  and  its  edification.  When  a  felicitous  change  has  already 
made  its  way  into  the  living  hymn-books  in  the  hands  of  the 
people,  this  should  ba  adhered  to  and  not  again  altered.  But 
when  a  change  is  absolutely  needed,  great  care  should  be  taken 
not  to  make  use  of  a  modern  phrase,  which  forms  too  great  a 
contrast  to  the  ancient  complexion  of  the  hymn,  like  a  new 
patch  on  an  old  cloak,  or  a  flaming  red  tile  upon  an  age-blackened 
roof!  A  fine  knowledge  of  language,  and  even  a  special  per- 
ception of  the  particular  author  and  of  his  use  of  language  is 


Church  Music  and  Song.  243 

required,  in  order  to  make  judicious  alterations.  Sometimes  a 
whole  verse,  or  many  verses  must  be  given  up  as  incurable.  This 
can  be  done  without  hesitation  inasmuch  as  at  all  events,  most 
hymns  are  too  long,  and  in  the  best  of  them  there  are  some  dull 
portions  which  could  be  removed  without  injuring  the  general 
impression.  Where  such  a  gap  occurs,  the  junctions  where  the 
separated  parts  are  brought  together  should  be  skillfully  made. 
Therefore  it  is  that  the  restoration  of  old  hymns  for  the  Church's 
use  is  as  difficult,  and  even  more  difficult,  than  the  restoration  of 
old  pictures.  But  any  modern  alteration  of  an  old  hymn  in  ac- 
cordance with  a  dogmatical  system  that  is  at  variance  with  the 
evangelical  Church,  and  its  fundamental  intuitions,  must  be  evi- 
dently unsuccessful.  The  rationalism  of  the  previous  century 
made  it  in  this  regard  an  unfortunate  restorer.  But  it  does  not 
thereby  follow  that  true  orthodoxy  is  capable  of  making  a  happy 
restoration  of  the  old,  or  correction  of  the  new.  Even  the 
hymns  of  Gellert  must  be  left  as  they  are,  lest  they  should  be 
made  worse  by  attempting  to  mend  them  in  the  spirit  of  a  dog 
matical  restoration :  e.  g.  "  Virtue's  path  is  hard  at  first "  into 
"  Faith's  path,"  and  so  on.  Here  it  should  be  enjoined  that  what 
is  right  for  one  is  right  for  another.  If  you  will  have  Gellert  in 
the  lvymn-book,  then  leave  him  his  "  virtue  "  and  whatever  is  con- 
nected with  it.  But  if  there  is  fear  of  Pelagian  leaven  let  the 
hymn  itself  be  given  up. 

In  regard  to  the  musical  element  in  Church  song,  the  question 
arises  whether  the  choral  should  be  sung  in  one  or  in  four  parts  ? 
We  would  rather  treat  this  question  as  'an  open  question,  since 
theorists  themselves  are  not  agreed  upon  it.  Thus  one  says  "  the 
unison  (unisono)  of  voices  is  as  unnatural  as  it  is  offensive  ; "  an- 
other pronounces  "  the  congregational  singing  in  different  parts 
as  a  false  way,  as  an  illusion."  He  calls  to  mind  the  fact  that 
volk-song  is  eminently  unisonal.  He  says,  "  In  this  unison,  as 
the  expression  of  perfect  communion,  lies  the  truly  elevating  and 
impelling  power  of  congregational  singing."  The  hymn  of  one 
part  (with  organ  accompaniment)  finds  its  devoted  defenders,  es- 
pecially in  Germany,  while  in  Switzerland,  particidarly  in  the 
country,  where  there  are  no  organs,  they  hold  to  the  singing  of 
four  parts,  as  the  opposite  is  considered  to  be  an  evidence  of  want 
of  cultivation.  Luther  in  opposition  to  Carlstadt,  defended  the 
practice  of  singing  in  four  parts,  and  called  the  unisonal  singing 


244  Church  Jfusic  and  Song. 

"a  donkey  bray."  The  argument  against  congregational  singing 
in  four  voices,  is  first  the  great  difficulty  of  overcoming  the  im- 
perfection in  their  musical  training  of  the  great  masses  who 
attend  our  churches.  In  relation  to  this  Schoberlein  has  re- 
marked with  truth  "  that  every  one  chimes  in  with  those  neigh- 
bors nearest  to  him  who  sing  only  in  his  own  key,  and  that  the 
impression  of  the  various  parts  is  entirely  lost  to  him,  and  can  be 
only  truly  appreciated  by  hearers  standing  aloof  and  not  partici- 
pating." But  it  is  still  further  urged  that  they  who  cannot  even 
maintain  an  accompanying  part  are  condemned  to  silence,  or  to  join 
in  the  melody.  The  first  is  of  doubtful  expediency,  since  it  i^  a 
part  of  religious  edification  for  every  one  to  join  in  the  singing  as 
well  as  he  can ;  the  last  disturbs  the  harmony,  if  the  four  parts  are 
^ung  at  the  same  time ;  the  uncultivated  singer  finds  that  he  is 
not  right,  and  goes  unsteadily  between  the  one  voice  and  the  four 
voices,  while  he  might  be  able  to  join  heartily  and  gladly  in  one 
voice.  And  it  is  indeed  true,  and  it  is  a  fact  somewhat  encour- 
aging to  such  a  one,  that  the  song  of  all  combined  is  less  artistic- 
ally rich.  And  then  it  is  a  matter  worthy  of  consideration  that 
the  voices  which  belong  together  do  not  come  together  in  the 
order  of  place,  as  musical  conformity  would  demand.  Men  and 
women  sit  apart,  in  like  manner  soprano  and  alto,  and  tenor  and 
bass  are  pell-mell ;  boy's  voices  also  (where  the  young  people  no 
longer  sit  together)  are  heard  separate  in  the  midst  of  men's 
voices,  here  a  soprano,  there  an  alto.  This  disturbs  indisputa- 
bly the  effect  of  the  four-voiced  song.  We  come  back  then  to 
the  expedient  before  Mentioned,  that  the  choir  previously  sing  a 
four-voiced  and  artistic  strophe,  without  the  organ,  then  the  fol- 
lowing strophe  to  be  sung  unis  >nal,  with  the  organ,  by  the  whole 
congregation,  in  the  way  of  alternate  song. 

Another  question  that  arises  is  whether  the  song  sung  by  the 
congregation  should  be  accompanied  by  the  organ  or  by  any  other 
instrument.  Although  in  the  Reformed  Church,  the  organ  was 
broken  to  pieces  as  a  " papistical  music-mill"  and  condemned  to 
silence,  yet  by  degress  it  gained  the  ascendancy.  In  the  Greek 
Church  the  organ  (notwithstanding  its  Grecian  origin)  never  came 
into  use  ;  in  the  Latin  Church  the  papal  chapel  has  never  admit- 
ted it  to  this  day,  and  in  the  16th  century  it  had  so  many  oppo- 
sers,  that  even  at  the  council  of  Trent  its  removal  was  proposed. 
Its  preservation  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  is  especially  due 
to  the  intervention  of  the  Emperor  Ferdinand. 


Church  Music  and  Song.  245 

That  the  organ  can  work  disturbance  in  Church  music  there 
can  be  no  doubt.  There  is  much  and  bitter  complaining  over  the 
organist's  misdemeanors.  But  there  is  improvement  in  this  re- 
spect. Where  the  organ  is  played  by  a  skillful  and  consecrated 
hand,  it  does  its  part  undoubtedly  in  devotional  edification  ;  not 
only  in  that  it  sustains  the  song  and  furnishes  the  harmony  where 
there  is  harmonious  song,  but  also  in  the  prelude,  which  we  have 
reckoned  among  the  elements  of  religious  worship.  The  conclu- 
ding voluntary  may  likewise  form  a  fitting  close  to  the  service. 
It  surely  does  so,  if  the  organist,  animated  by  the  impression  of  the 
sermon,  strikes  upon  the  keys  of  his  instrument  and  lets  an  accor- 
dant sti*ain  pour  forth,  as  if  it  were  out  of  the  upper  sanctuary, 
answering  that  to  which  the  whole  congregation  had  just  given 
utterance  in  song.  We  cannot  agree  with  Schleiermacher  when 
he  says  that  "  the  playing  of  the  organ  at  the  close  of  the  service 
is  properly  no  part  of  the  worship  but  is  a  free-wTill  offering  ;  there- 
fore organists  often  play  marches."  Bad  enough  when  that  hap- 
pens !  The  concluding  voluntary  upon  the  organ  is  to  be  sure  not 
properly  a  part  of  the  cultus,  as  during  its  performance  the  wor- 
shiping assembly  takes  its  departure  ;  but  as  at  the  beginning  of 
the  service  the  organ  awakens  the  devotional  sentiment,  so  it 
accompanies  the  congregation  'when  they  leave  the  house  of  God, 
as  with  the  divine  benediction.  In  this  respect  it  stands  in  even 
closer  connection  with  the  wTorship,  than  the  ringing  of  church 
bells ;  and  yet  even  this  is  not  without  liturgical  significance. 
The  people  should  not  he  played  out  of  church,  but  be  led  out,  as 
those  who  have  resting  upon  them  the  blessing  of  the  Lord.  On 
the  other  hand  those  fatal  interludes  which  Harms  has  fitly  cha- 
racterized, are  rightly  judged  in  the  more  modern  view,  to  be  out 
of  place. 

The  organ  among  all  instruments  is  the  only  purely  ecclesias- 
tical instrument.  It  dwells  and  is  enthroned  in  the  sanctuary,  a 
Church  within  a  Church  !  He  who  would  hear  must  come  to  it ; 
it  does  not  go  out  into  the  crowded  world.  As  to  the  use  of  other 
instruments  in  Church  music,  sometimes  these,  like  the  harmoni- 
um, may  be  employed  in  default  of  an  organ.  Formerly  wind- 
instruments  were  employed  in  the  place  of  the  organ  and  even 
with  it.  Trumpets  have  still  a  high  liturgical  significance.  They 
represent  the  Ecclesia  militans  and  call  up  the  terror  of  the  judg- 
ment day  {tuba  mirum  sjoargens  sontim).     But  for  all  ordinary 


24:6  Church  Music  and  Song. 

public  worship,  they  are  too  ceremonial  and  should  be  reserved 
for  the  high  triumphal  feasts  of  the  Church.  They  have  in  the 
absence  of  the  organ  their  suitable  place  in  military  public  wor- 
ship. But  how  far  at  the  present  day  the  former  host  of  string- 
and-wind  instruments  should  be  employed,  is  a  difficult  question 
to  answer.  It  certainly  stands  written  (Ps.  cl,  3  sqq.)  :  "  Praise 
him  with  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  praise  him  with  the  lute  and 
harp,  praise  him  with  the  timbrel  and  dance,  praise  him  with 
stringed  instruments  and  shawms,  praise  him  with  the  clear  cym- 
bals, praise  him  with  the  resounding  cymbals."  This  is  according 
to  De  Wette's  translation  ;  in  Luther's  translation,  violins  are 
likewise  included.     Compare  also  1  Sam.  xviii,  6. 

Put  however  uniformly  these  instruments  may  be  recognized 
an d*  named,  the  Old  Testament  cannot  here  be  immediately  trans- 
ferred to  the  Christian  dispensation,  otherwise  the  timbrel  and 
dance  would  also  be  re-introduced  (Exodus  xv,  20).  Our  string 
and  wind  instruments  serve,  ordinarily,  other  purposes,  which  are 
far  from  those  of  an  ecclesiastical  character,  and  thus  their  ap- 
pearance in  the  Church  has  something  foreign  to  the  genuine 
churchly  feeling.  Wycliffe  in  his  day  declared  himself  against  a 
church  music  which  tended  more  to  dancing  than  devotion.  In 
like  manner  the  Reformers  strongly  pronounced  their  judgment. 
Zuingle  was  a  great  lover  of  music,  and  a  skillful  performer  upon 
the  instruments  then  in  vogue,  but  he  never  employed  them  for 
church  music.  Among  the  "  United  Brethren,"  stringed  instru- 
ments are  admitted  without  hesitation  into  public  worship.  They 
can  do  it  because  they  know  no  place  where  violins  and  bass-viols 
are  seen  in  any  other  relations  than  those  connected  with  the 
Church.  From  the  mass  of  the  people  however,  we  cannot  hope 
for  much  discriminating  thought  in  this  matter. 

The  Romish  Church  both  tolerates  and  aims  to  produce  a  rav- 
ishing musical  harmony  at  its  religious  solemnities ;  our  devo- 
tional sentiment  would  be  more  disturbed  than  elevated  by  this. 
A  mixed  festival  solemnity  in  which  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
elements  meet  (as  jubilees  and  such  occasions)  might  perhaps  form 
an  exception.  Still  less  edification  would  we  find  in  a  solo  than 
even  in  a  musical  performance  with  a  full  orchestra,  say  a  solo  upon 
the  violin  or  flute,  though  executed  in  the  severest  style.  We 
are  pretty  much  confined  to  this,  that  as  a  general  rule,  so  far  as 
instrumental  music  is  concerned,  we  have  to  be  content  with  the 


X 


Church  Music  and  Song.  247 

organ.  And  it  may  be  added  that  true  liturgical  impression  is 
destroyed  by  whatever  is  introduced  into  the  sanctuary  of  a 
purely  technical  or  artistic  character,  whether  appealing  to  the 
eye  or  ear. 

As  regards  the  conduct  or  regulation  of  church  music,  it  does 
not  stand  in  the  power  of  any  individual  leader,  whether  preacher 
or  pastor,  to  introduce  hymn-books,  or  to  change  and  determine 
the  order  of  church  song.  Yet  though  all  are  called  upon  to 
take  part  in  this,  the  pastor  can  do  very  much  for  the  elevation 
and  improvement  of  church  music ;  therefore  the  musical  culti- 
vation of  our  ministers  is  to  be  greatly  recommended  as  well  upon 
the  theoretical  as  the  practical  side.  Since  it  is  a  prevalent  fash- 
ion for  the  preacher  to  make  choice  of  the  hymn  and  of  the  verses 
to  be  sung,  this  is  a  privilege  which  he  should  make  use  of  with 
the  greatest  conscientiousness,  as  much  often  depends  upon  the 
choice  of  a  good  hymn  as  upon  the  choice  of  a  good  text.  One 
should  not  put  this  off  to  the  last  moment  when  the  sexton  an- 
nounces himself  to  take  the  hymn,  but  he  shoxdd  be  prepared 
betimes,  and  some  attention  should  also  be  paid  to  the  selection 
of  the  tune.  For  this  reason  the  minister  should  be  himself  per- 
fectly at  home  in  the  hymn-book. 


XIV.-THE     MOSAIC     DISPENSATION    AS    INTRODUCTORY   TO 

CHRISTIANITY* 

What  amount  of  religious  knowledge  was  it  within  the  power 
<  >f  the  pious  and  sincere  among  the  Jews  under  the  ancient  dis- 
pensation to  attain?  In  what  way  were  the  great  questions  that 
lie  at  the  basis  of  all  real  religion,  the  questions  relating  to  the 
d/diverance  from  guilt  and  moral  impurity,  capable  of  being 
answered  so  as  to  bring  salvation  to  their  souls  as  a  blessing  which 
they  might  personally  enjoy  ?  And  what  kind  and  degree  of 
spiritual  privilege  was  it  possible  for  them  to  receive  ? 

These  are  questions  of  profound  interest  in  many  respects,  but 
they  are  also  questions  not  very  easily  answered.  If  we  would 
arrive  at  a  satisfactory  decision  on  the  subject  to  which  they  relate, 
we  must  carefully  avoid  everything  of  the  nature  of  a  hasty  and 
sweeping  conclusion.  A  rash  skepticism,  and  an  indiscriminating 
dogmatism,  must  be  equally  shunned  in  our  treatment  of  the  sub- 
ject. It  is  only  by  a  comprehensive  survey  of  all  the  evidence 
attainable,  and  a  cautious  induction  from  what  is  seen  to  be  prob- 
able, that  any  well-grounded  result  can  be  reached  by  us  in  such 
a  field  of  inquiry.  It  is  necessary,  also,  that  we  should  abstract 
as  much  as  may  be  from  the  ideas  we  have  gathered  from  the 
Christian  Scriptures,  lest  we  insensibly  carry  back  thence  to  the 
Old  Testament  what  does  not  belong  to  it,  and  by  reading  it  in 
the  light  of  later  revelation,  ascribe  to  those  by  whom  that  revela- 
tion was  altogether  unknown,  a  degree  of  illumination  which 
they  did  not  possess,  and  which  it  was  not  possible  for  them  to 
possess.  It  is  not  easy,  indeed,  to  make  this  abstraction,  and 
perhaps  it  is  vain  to  expect  that  it  can  be  made  perfectly.  As 
Foster  has  justly  remarked  :  "  The  mind  has  no  power  of  imagi- 
nation to  place  itself  as  in  the  predicament  of  suffering,  or  having 
suffered,  an  annihilation  of  its  knowledge  ;  it  cannot  feign  itself 
in  a  process  of  putting  out  one  bright,  fixed  truth  within  it,  and 

*  Abridged  from  a  review  of  Litton'*  Bampton  Lecture  in  the  British  Quarterly 
Review. 

(248)  " 


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